More by Roisin

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the Christmas Day service at Sandringham on December 25, 2013.(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

This time last year, when Kate Middleton turned 31, she was in the early stages of her pregnancy.

Today, on her 32nd birthday, she will look back on this year as possibly the most significant of her life.

In July she became a mother when her first child, Prince George, was born, two years after her marriage to Prince William. But there aren’t many first-time mothers whose post-baby schedules are quite as packed with charity outings and gorgeous outfits!

That happy event was also the occasion for the release of the first official royal family photographs since George’s birth. But the most moving photograph was not the formal portraits, but a touching snapshot of the parents smiling down at their baby.

We can’t wait to see what this year holds for Kate. Already preparations are underway for the landmark tour she, William, and George will make of Australia and New Zealand, which will last for almost a month.